August 9, 2012

Poinciana Parkway Southport

Connector From Florida’s Turnpike to Pleasant Hill Road

PD&E Study

433693-2 I-4 Southport Connector Agency

Project Advisory Group

August 27, 2013

Financial Project No.: 433693-1-22-01

Presentation Outline

2

• Project background

• Purpose and need

• Process and schedule

• Corridor evaluation

• Environmental Considerations

• Public Involvement and agency coordination

• Questions, answers and discussion

Southport Connector Feasibility Study

3

OCX Master Plan

4

Central

Polk

Parkway

Osceola Pkwy Extension

Northeast

Connector

Expwy

Southport Connector

I-4 Poinciana

Parkway

Connector

Poinciana

Parkway(Design Build)

Poinciana

Parkway (PD&E)

Southport

Connector

LRTP, TIP and STIP

• Metroplan Orlando LRTP

– The project is included in Metroplan Orlando’s 2030 Long Range

Transportation Plan (LRTP) policy amendment dated February 2013 and

adopted per resolution number 13-03

• Metroplan Orlando TIP

– The PD&E Study is included in Metroplan Orlando’s FY 2012/13-2016/17

Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)

• FDOT STIP

– The PD&E Study is included in the FY 2013/14 State Transportation

Improvement Program (STIP)

5

Purpose and Need

6

• Purpose

– Reduce traffic congestion and

enhance traffic operations

– Provide interconnectivity to

regional transportation networks

– Provide opportunity for multimodal

(transit and multi-use trail)

facilities

– Enhance emergency evacuation

by promoting system linkage

Florida’s Turnpike

• Need

– Poinciana is ranked 226 out of 226 small towns in Florida for the

longest commute

– No direct connection to limited access expressway routes to

employment and business centers

– No evacuation route that directly serves the Poinciana community

Traffic Projections

• Previous modeling efforts

– 2009 Feasibility Study and Master Plan

• 50,000 to 65,000 AADT in 2035

– 2012 County Comprehensive Plan

• 55,000 to 95,000 AADT in 2040

• Kittelson & Associates New Traffic Study

– Design Year – 2043

7

Characteristics of Study Area

8

• Large ranches south of Lake Tohopekaliga

• Rural residential east and west of Lake Toho

• Commercial and residential west of Pleasant Hill road

Overall Study Process

9

Corridor Analysis

• Screen out non-viable corridors from further consideration

• Based on Land Suitability Mapping (LSM) Process

STEP 1: Define corridor study area

STEP 2: Screen study area using weighted GIS layers

STEP 3: Eliminate most sensitive areas

STEP 4: Identify Corridor Width and Design Criteria

STEP 5: Identify corridor alignments

STEP 6: Evaluate corridor alignments

STEP 7: Obtain local government/public input

STEP 8: Prepare and submit Corridor Report to FHWA/ETAT

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Step 1: Define Study Area

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Ple

asa

nt H

ill R

oad

Step 2: Screen Study Area

12

Step 3: Eliminate Areas

13

Step 4: Identify Corridor Width and

Design Criteria• 324 foot six-lane interstate freeway standard typical section

• Consistent with OCX Master Plan typical section width

• Includes potential transit and multiuse trail

• Use 425 foot wide corridor for analysis

• 70 miles per hour design speed

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94’44’ 36’ 64’ 36’ 94’ 26’

394’

12’ Shoulder

10’ Paved

12’ Shoulders

10’ Paved

12’ Shoulder

10’ Paved

Border WidthBorder WidthTransit Corridor Multiuse

Trail

Pro

p.

R/W

Pro

p.

L/A

R

/W

Pro

p.

L/A

R

/W

Pro

p.

R/W

Step 5: Identify Corridor Alternatives

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Step 6: Evaluate Corridor Alternatives

• GIS quantification of impacts

• Field review for environmental constraints

• Construction cost estimate

• Right-of-way cost estimate

• Impacts and costs summarized in matrix

16

Step 7: Public Input

• Review corridor alignments evaluation with

Agency Project Advisory Group

• Corridors reviewed by ETAT

• Review with public at corridor workshop

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Step 8: Corridor Analysis

• Select recommended alternative corridors to be carried forward

• Prepare final Corridor Report

• Submit to Corridor Report to ETAT through ETDM

• Submit to FHWA

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Existing Utilities

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Utility

CompanyFacility Description

Master

Agreement

AT&T

Corp/PEA

Communication

s

AT&T Corporation maintains transmission facilities in the eastern portion of the

corridor. There is buried facilities located along the east side of SR 523.X

Bright House

Networks

Coax Cable and

Fiber

Bright House maintains buried CATV located at the intersection of Pleasant Hill

Road and Cypress Parkway. There is also underground facilities located along

Southport Road serving the homes off of Southport Bay Drive.

X

Century LinkCommunication

s

Century Link maintains the majority of their facilities along the west side of

Pleasant Hill Road from Cypress Parkway to north of Southport Road. X

City of St.

Cloud

Water/Sewer

The City of St. Cloud provides water and sewer services to the area east of the

canal interconnecting Lake Tohopekaliga and Cypress Lake. The City currently

has a 12-inch main that services Friar’s Cove to the north of the project and based

on the City’s Master Plan, there are plans for a future water treatment plant and

related pipe systems to service Green Island area just north of the corridor.

Comcast CableCommunication

sComcast Cable maintains facilities in the eastern portion of the corridor. X

Progress

EnergyPower

Progress Energy maintains transmission lines along the west side of Pleasant Hill

Road and distribution facilities throughout the proposed corridor. The majority of

the distribution facilities are located along Pleasant Hill Road, Southport Road, and

SR 523.

X

Sprint NextelCommunication

s

Sprint maintains a buried fiber optic cable along the west side of Pleasant Hill

Road from Cypress Parkway north past Southport Road. X

TOHO Water

AuthorityWater/Sewer

TOHO Water Authority maintains a 20-inch water main & 8-inch reclaimed water

main along the west side of Pleasant Hill Road at the intersection of Pleasant Hill

Road and Southport Road. A 12-inch water main crosses Pleasant Hill Road along

the north side of Southport Drive and crosses to the south side of Southport Road

and continues to just west of Southport Bay Drive, where it stops. There is a 12-

inch force main that crosses Pleasant Hill Road along the south side of Southport

Drive and continues to just west of Southport Bay Drive, where it stops.

Existing Drainage

• Kissimmee River watershed

– Lake Tohopekaliga

– Reedy Creek

– Lake Cypress

– S-63A

• Ultimate discharge to Lake Okeechobee

• Main Water Crossings

– Reedy Creek

• Regulatory Floodway

– Southport Canal

• Navigable Waterway

• Boat survey

• USCG coordination

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Lake Tohopekaliga

Kissimmee

River

Watershed

Project

Study

Area

Watershed Map

Sub-Basins Map

Lake Tohopekaliga

Reedy

Creek

Lake

Cypress

S-63AProject Study

Area

Drainage and Permitting Criteria

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AGENCY CRITERIA COMMENTS

SFWMD Presumptive Water Quality• Wet Detention – 1” over Total Basin Area or 2.5” over Imperv. Area

• Dry Retention – 50% of the Wet Detention criteria

Water Quantity

• 10-year/72-hour storm Pre vs. Post (Osceola Co.)

• Lake Toho discharge limitations (0.5 cfs/acre – Rule of Thumb)

• Draft Watershed Model for Lake Toho – Outlines discharges

requirements at certain node locations

Special Criteria• Not in OFW, however; additional 50% water quality requirement

because the ultimate discharge is to Lake Okeechobee

Floodplain Compensation• “Cup for cup” compensation required

• SFWMD will accept floodplain compensation within treatment ponds

• Opportunity to reduce or eliminate need for FPC ponds

DEP

Impaired Water Bodies

• Not impaired per DEP list (WBID 3170A, 3170C, 3170B1, 3173C, 3179)

• Per SFWMD, Lake Toho Nutrient Reduction Plan will require Pre vs.

Post Pollutant Loading Analysis

• UCF Spreadsheet or DEP Stormwater Quality Handbook

FDOT Critical Duration (CH. 14-86 F.A.C.)• Per 2013 FDOT Drainage Manual, only required for closed basins

• Would not apply for Southport Connector Study

Offsite Areas (HB 599)

• Discussed HB 599 with SFWMD

• Different interpretation than previously thought

• Per SFWMD, commingling offsite with onsite will require treatment

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Floodplains

• Approx. 50% of the corridor traverses the 100-year floodplain

• 25% associated with impacts at Reedy Creek and Southport Canal

– Reedy Creek – Zone AE Floodway (Elev. 63 ft. NAVD)

– Southport Canal – Zone A 2222

Zone A

Zone AESouth Alignment – Option A

KHA Preliminary Alignment &

Feasibility Study (2009)

Lake Tohopekaliga

Lake Russell

Ple

asan

t H

ill R

oa

d Treatment ponds can be used for floodplain compensation

Wetlands and Other Surface Waters

• Natural Wetlands and Drainage Features

– Freshwater forested, scrub-shrub and herbaceous

wetlands throughout the study area

– Lake Tohopekaliga, Lake Russell, Brown Lake,

Cypress Lake, and Lake Gentry

– Reedy Creek Swamp

– SFWMD C-35 Canal

• Direct, secondary and cumulative effects

• Elimination and reduction of impacts

• Regionally significant mitigation

consistent with adjacent mitigation

• Agency coordination – SFWMD,

USACE, USFWS

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Federal Listed Species

• Consultation area for 6 federally listed

animal species, and one group of plants:

– Audubon’s Crested Caracara

– Everglades Snail Kite

– Florida Grasshopper Sparrow

– Florida Scrub Jay

– Red-Cockaded Woodpecker

– Sand Skink & Blue-Tailed

Mole Skink

– Lake Wales Ridge Plants

• New caracara nest identified

within the corridor

• Study area located within Core Foraging

Area of 6 known wood stork colonies.

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Audubon’s Crested Caracara

• Caracara nest documented approximately 450 ft south of

Southport Road in 1995, 1996 and 1998

• Inwood Biologists observed 4 individual caracaras during two

monitoring events, conducted in February 2013 along the

existing Southport Road R/W

• Inwood Biologists discovered active caracara nest

approximately 150 ft south of Southport Road on

February 14, 2013. Two adults were observed foraging

in close proximity to nest, and juvenile caracara

was observed in nest tree.

• Caracara nests are afforded “Management Zones”

by USFWS:– Secondary protection zone: 4,920 ft radius

surrounding nest tree

– Primary protection zone: 985 ft radius surrounding nest tree

– Consultation will likely be required for all southern alignment

alternatives

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Protected Nests – Caracara & Eagles

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Everglades Snail Kite

• Snail kite “Priority Management Zones”:

– Lakeshore areas that support high concentrations of

snail kite nests

– Delineated annually, following each

nesting season

• Nest protection buffers:

– No-entry Buffer Zones: 425 ft radius surrounding

active nests

– Limited Activity Buffer Zones: 1,640 ft radius

surrounding active nests

• Encompasses the primary foraging area around a

nest

• Permanent modification of habitat within these

areas will likely result in a “may affect”

determination by USFWS

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Everglades Snail Kite

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Florida Grasshopper Sparrow

• Described by Audubon Florida as “perhaps the

most endangered bird in the continental United

States” (2012)

• Inhabits frequently-burned, dry prairie habitats in

central and south FL

• Suitable habitat located

throughout southern

alignment alternatives, with

highest potential for occurrence

in southeastern portion of

study area

• Consulted with Reed Noss, PhD

concerning potential occurrence,

surveys were recommended

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State Listed Species

• Likely involvement of various other state-listed

wildlife species:

– Florida Burrowing Owl

– Florida Sandhill Crane

– Gopher Tortoise

– Sherman’s Fox Squirrel

– Southeastern American Kestrel

– State-listed wading birds

• Several Bald Eagle nests & nesting territories

have potential to affect alignments

– Although available eagle nest data for Osceola

County is typically up-to-date, Inwood biologists

have identified 2-3 active nests that are not included

in latest FWC data

– Early detection of nest/alignment conflicts can

reduce the potential for take of eagles30

Listed Species

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Cumulative Effects

• CEE Handbook

• Initiate CEE early – coordinate with agencies

• Identify resources of concern

• Define timeframe

• Potentially affected resources

• Past and present impact

• Foreseeable future actions

• Direct and indirect impacts

• What are the potential cumulative effects?

• Potential mitigation – Regional

mitigation important

• Document results

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Managed Lands

• Planning consistency with adjacent, managed lands

– Snail Kite “Priority Management Zones”

– Southport Ranch Mitigation Bank

• Mitigation “value” determined by SFWMD permit based on UMAM

calculations utilizing 300 foot undisturbed buffer

• Encroachment into 300 foot buffer likely to result in devaluation of bank

function, and may require permit modification and/or compensation

– The Nature Conservancy’s Disney Wilderness Preserve

• 12,000-acre preserve established to provide mitigation for various

development projects including Walt Disney World and GOAA

• First, large-scale, offsite wetland mitigation project in United States

• Utilizes prescribed on 3-year intervals as a critical management tool

• Sufficient buffers must be provided within

“Critical Smoke Dispersal Areas” (CSDA)

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Managed Lands

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Cultural Resources

• Archaeological sites

– 8OS00021 – NRHP Eligible

(human remains)

– 8OS00022, 8OS00023,

8OS02467 and – Additional work

• Southport Canal (8OS02569) has not

been evaluated by SHPO

• Initial desktop screening of corridors

and ponds

• CRAS prepared for preferred

corridor(s) and ponds

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8OS00021

NRHP Eligible

8OS00022

Not Evaluated

by SHPO

8OS00023

Not Evaluated

by SHPO

8OS02467

Not Evaluated

by SHPO

Environmental Justice/Title VI/LEP

• Portions of study area > 5% of the population is not proficient in English

• LEP accommodations to be included

• Majority of the corridor non-minority and above poverty level

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Census Tract 415

54.7% English

12.8% Spanish

4.6% Other

Census Tract 410.01

60.4% English

12.6% Spanish

2.3% Other

Census Tract 413

60.4% English

41.7% Spanish

13.8% Other

Census Tract 432.06

86.9% English

0% Spanish

0% Other

Census Tract 432.06

88% English

4.2% Spanish

0% Other

Potential 4(f) Summary

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Resource Type Likely 4(f)Likely

ImpactsExpected

Documentation

Southport Mitigation Bank Wildlife or Waterfowl Refuge N N No Use

Disney Wilderness Preserve Wildlife or Waterfowl Refuge Y N No-Use

SFWMD - Lake Russell

Property

(Osceola County

Environmental Study Center)

Park and Recreation Area Y Y Programmatic

Southport Road Boat Ramp Park and Recreation Area Y N No Use

Archeological Sites

Browns Landing MoundArcheological ?? Y No-Use

Southport Canal Historic ?? Y De Minimis

Mac Overstreet Regional Park Park and Recreation Area Y Y Programmatic

Other Environmental Considerations

• Prime and Unique Farmlands

– GIS Files sent to NCRS (Rick Robbins)

– NCRS Completes Farmland Conversion Rating Form AD 1006

• Noise

• Air Quality

• Contamination

– No known contamination sites within limits of project

– Potential contamination sites

• Farm/agricultural/cattle uses

• Dump sites for rural residential or farms

• Equipment/chemical/pesticide storage and/or maintenance areas

• Cattle dip vats

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Public Involvement Approach

• Most work will get done in small group and individual meetings

• Four main stakeholder groups– Agencies and governmental staff

– Elected officials

– Property owners

– General public

• Meet with stakeholder groups prior to each public meeting

• Form Agency Project Advisory Group (APAG)

• Newsletters, web page, local media out reach, existing communication

outlets

• Bilingual approach

Page 39

Upcoming Public Meetings

• Public Kickoff Meeting

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Tuesday, September 10, 2013

5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Association of Poinciana Villages

395 Marigold Avenue

Poinciana, Florida 34759

Thursday, September 12, 2013

5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The Church of St. Luke and St. Peter

2745 Canoe Creek Road

St. Cloud, Florida 34772

Page 41

Next Steps

• Evaluate corridor alignments

• Travel demand forecasting

• Finalize project description and purpose and need

• Finalize preliminary environmental discussion

• Public kickoff meeting

• Alternative Corridor Evaluation (ACE) process

• Prepare Corridor Report

• ETDM programming screen

• Determine Class of Action

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Questions / Answers / Dicussion

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